Attachment for raising and lowering awnings and the like



J. STARR Nov. 1, 1932.

ATTACHMENT FOR RAIsING AND LowERING AwNINGs AND THEv LIKE Filed April 20, 1932 lNvENToR Jaco 5mm ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1, 1932 *JACOB 'sainringerv BtaoNxNi-iw Yo' nir, Yiis"srci'ivoit, or oNii-iinnniro rUiirUs' Meisen-LIN, or Niiw YonK,N.`Y.

vA'i'necr'riirizN'i ronnersiNe AND LownaiNe'AvirNiNes AND 'rmi :Linn

This inventionv relates to new; and vuseful improvements an attachment for raising gand lowering awnings'and the like. Y

i This linvention relates tofsimilar subject matter in `my Patent No. `1,849,255 dated `infarct-15th,i932. 1i 1 The invention -has for an 'object the construction of 'a jdevice of the class mentioned which is constructed of: simple durableiconstruction, dependable inuse and eiiicient i in operation land vwhich can bemanufactured land soldat a reasonable cost.

r'For-further comprehension of the-invention, and ofthe. objects and advantages thereof, reference will beliad tothe following description and accompanying drawing, and to "the appended claims in whichthe various novelfeatures of the invention are more particularly set forth. t

In `the `accompanying drawing' forming a material 'partw'of 'thisfdisclosiire Fig. 1 is a side elevational Yview of a device "constructed according to this invention, the wiringy thereof vbeing shown schematically.

Fig.'2 is 'an elevational view looking in the "directionof the line2-2 of Fig 3is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 4"1 but drawn on an enlarged scale. g f

Figflis a sectional view takenonthe yline Fig; 5 isa schematic wiring diagram of the device. f "Fig.'6 is aview similar to aportion of Fig. :1 `but illustrating a modified arrangement.

fFig. 7 isa side elevational view of the reversing switch, `per se, shown in Fig. 3.

'The invention is applied to 'an awning such Vas is customarily placed -outside of store `windows and the like and which includes Va frameV IO'pivotally mounted at its lower ends 11and at the top connectedwith awning materi'al not shown on the drawing, which'mate- `rial is wound 'on a'roller '12`supported'y at the ytop "of the window. The awning can be raised and lowered `byturn'ing of the roller 12 to cause the awning material "to wind thereon or thereoif.v y l A ymeans is provided for raising and lowering they-awning by'causing rotation'of the `50roller 12 and comprises particularly; a

sprocket wheel 15 fixed uponthe shaft 16 of a y f speed reduction unit 17 in connection with an "includes an electric plug 24 for connection V'A `means is provided for operating the The provision of the chain 28; and' the av bracket 33.

sprocketwheelfliixed uponythe shaft lof the `roller 12 and'V engaged by a chain 14 extendvingto the interior of the buildingequipped f with the awningand engaging over another electr'iemotorflS. Thus rotations Vfrom the motor are transmitted to cause turning of the roller 12. vIn Fig. 6,'a variation of-this transmission Vmeans has been disclosed 'in .60

which a bevel gear 19 is shown fixed upon the Vshaft' of' the roller 12 and inmesh with another bevel gear 20 4upon a shaft`21' extending into the building and carrying a bevel gear 22 meshing with a bevel gear .23 uponl 65 the Vshaft 16 of the speed reduction17.-1n other respects, the form shown in Fig. 6 is identical to 'the .previously described form. The electric motor 18 is in a circuit which with some-source of power and aswitchi 25 operable .to Acause operation of the automatic means for'raising and flowering the awning. More particularly, the circuit includes-a res versing switch A26 arranged so that when dr( wn in one direction, causes rotation of the Y niotorcne way andv when thrown in the other direction, rotation in' the opposite manner.

switch26 to control the raising and lowering@ Vlof the awning. Specifically, this means coin-y `prises a speed reduction unitconnected with Vthe shaft 16 and comprising a sprocket 27 Xed'upon the shaft and engagingwith a chain 28 engaged over a large sprocket 29.

'Fixed upon'the 'shaft of the large sprocket 29 there is a small lsprocket 30 engaging with; an Vendless member y3l. Av bracketV 32 serves toV rotatively support the sprockets 29 and V30.

sprockets V29 and 30 areffor the-purpose of reducing the rate of motion of the endless member 31, At theother end theendless member 31 is yengaged on a sprocket 32 supported byy `A' pair` of fingers 34,35 are mounted 'upon onesideof the endless member 31anl are arranged on opposite sides: of the reversing -switch 26 so Vas to be selectively engageable with the switch Vfor setting the switch in one i or in its other position. Each of the fingers 34, 35 is pivotally supported at its inner end upon a peg 36 projecting from a bracket 37 engaged on the endless member and held in various adjusted positions as desired by a set screw 38. i A spring 39 is mounted on each of a -nected between the'brackets 32and 33 so as to insure positive and firm motion `of the fingers 34 and 35 as the endless member moves. 30 The reversingswitch 26 includes a pair of poles 44 pivotally mounted intermediately at 44, of theirv ends and engageable 'with contacts 44a on one side by pivoting` them to that side or with other contacts 44b on the'other side by pivoting' them to the other side. A means is provided for snapping the poles' 44 in one or the other position and comprises a fork 45 straddling a stem 46 mounted upon the poles 44. The fork 45 is pivotally mounted at its rear end 46 and is limited in motion by pegs 47 mounted on the base 48 of the switch which is secured upon the rear of the track 43. An operating lever 49 is mounted intermediately-at 50 and its outer end l is engageable by the fingers 34,` 35

while the inner end carries a spring 52 connected with the fork 45 in a mannerrso as to hold the fork towards one sideand when the lever 5l is moved to the position shown by the v dot and dash lines 53, to hold the fork onthe -other side and-thus control the operation of 'the switch'. n

The operation of the device consists in closing the switch 25 to cause operation of the mechanism for raising and lowering the awn- .ing-. When the switch 25 is: closed the circuit is closed through the motor 18 and the motor will rotate in one direction or the other depending on the position in which the switch 9 v 26 is in. Assume that the awning is in a completely raised position. AIn this condition the switch 26 will be closed so as to cause the awning to move downwards. As the awning moves downwards the motion will be trans- 5 mitted to the endless member 31 and the linger 34 will approach the control lever 51 of the reversing` switch. In any position the switch 25 will be opened to cause the awning to assume-the particular position. If-it is held until it is completely lowered the finger 34 will strike the control lever 5l and cause it to pivot to the position indicated by the dot 'and dash lines 53 in which the switch 26 is thrown to the other side whereupon the connection through themotor is changed. Then,

right and privilege of said roller,

switch to move tion, and meansfor firmly guiding the'fingers as the switch 25 is again closed the motor will rotate in the opposite direction and raise the awning. When completely raised the lower finger 35 will again throw the switch into its first position.

invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations thereinmay be made. I therefore reserve the changingthe formV of the details of construction or otherwise altering .the arrangementV of the/correlated parts without departingV from the spirit' or the fscope ofth'efappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new,'and desire to securefby United States Letters yPatent ;is':

l. In an awning adaptedto be raisedand lowered and'hav-ing a roller for receiving the awning cover, Vmeans for raising and lower! mg the awning including anelectric circuit controlled with a manually operable switch, a motor connected in said circuit and with saidroller, a reversing switch having two positions andflocated in said circuit and-con- -nected withsaid motor to controlthe direction of rotationaccording to itsposition, and means for operatingsald switchicomprismg a speed .reduction Vunit connected withsai'd Van endless member connected, with" said speed reduction4 unit, a pair of ngers motor,

on said endless member and on opposite sides of said reversing switch and selectively consecutively engageable with 4said' reversing switchto move it fromone to .the'otherzposition, and means for firmly guiding thefingers for actuating the switch.

,2. In an awning adapted to be raisedvand lowered and vhaving a roller for receiving the awning cover, means'for raisingand'lower-N ing the awning including an electricA circuit controlledv with a manually operable switch, a motor connected in said circuit andwith a reversing switchv having' two positions and located in said circuit and connected with said 'motor to control'the direction of rotation according to its position',` and lmeans for operating said switch comprising a speed reduction unit connected `with said motor,an endless member connected with'fv said speed reduction unit, a pair of lingers on said endless memberand on' oppositesides 'ofsaid reversing switch and selectively consecutively :engageable with 'said reversing itfrom one to the other posifor actuating the switch', said speedV reduction unit terminating: inv a sprocket, said endless member being engaged oversaid sprocket and over another sprocket spaced from said vsprocketh- .7.

3. In an awning adaptedto-be raised and While I-have'illustrated and described my Kir feo

controlled with a manually operable switch, a motor connected in said circuit and with said roller, a reversing switch having two positions and located in said circuit and connected with said motor to control the direc tion of rotation according to its position, and means for operating said switch comprising a speed reduction unit connected with said motor, an endless member connected with said speed reduction unit, a pair of lingers on said endless member and on opposite sides of said reversing switch and selectively con= secutively engageable with said reversing switch to move it from one to the other posi tion, and means for rmly guiding the fingers for actuating the switch, said speed reduction unit terminating in a sprocket, a bracket supporting said sprocket, said endless member being engaged over said sprocket and over another sprocket spaced therefrom, a bracket supporting said latter-mentioned sprocket, and said means for iirmly guiding the lingers for actuating the switch being secured on said brackets.

4. In an awning adapted to be raised and lowered and having a roller or receiving the awning cover, means for raising and lowering the awning including an electric circuit controlled with a manually operable switch, Y

a motor connected in said circuit and with said roller, a reversing switch having two positions and located in said circuit and connected with said motor to control the direction of rotation according to its position, and means for operating said switch comprising a speed reduction unit connected with said motor, an endless member connected with said speed reduction unit, a pair oi fingers on said endless member and on opof said reversing switch andV posite sides selectively consecutively engageable with said reversing switch to move it from one to the other position, and means for firmly guid- Y ing the ngers for actuating the switch, each of said ngers being adjustable relative to each other.

In testimonyl whereoi` I afix my signature.

JACOB STARR. 

